You cannot be an educated businessman without understanding China. This was the opening statement by Dean Howard Frank during Seminar Day on March 7, 2006. The event was held as part of Smith's Week of Asia, organized by the Asian MBA Association. The first of the two lectures was delivered by Mr. Chuanshui Zhong, First Secretary Economic and Commercial Counselors Office Embassy of China in Washington, D.C., who expounded on China Economic Policy Evolution in the past, present and future.

What does it take for women to succeed in business? For one woman Janna Morrison, senior vice president of customer care and technology services for Choice Hotels International the secret to success was a series of lists and a very specific career map.

Sensitivity to others is more important than ever in a globally networked economy where every day you may work with people whose culture and backgrounds differ from your own. Jack Jetmund, the vice chair of Booz Allen Hamilton's GLOBE (a forum for gay, lesbian and bisexual employees), found that out for himself when he wore a pink shirt to a client meeting, only to be greeted with a disparaging remark about his sexual orientation.

The Smith School of Business has expanded its Executive MBA (EMBA) program in China to include Shanghai. Smith held a welcome reception for the first Shanghai cohort at the Portman Ritz Carlton in Shanghai on November 17, 2005. Like the Beijing program, which was launched in January 2003, the Shanghai EMBA will be delivered by the world-renowned faculty of the Smith School. The innovative, 18-month EMBA program is designed specifically for mid-to-senior level executives.

Robert Isaman '85, vice president, integration at UTC Fire & Security (UTCFS), a division of United Technologies Corporation, addressed a lively audience of Smith School graduates, family members, friends, and Smith faculty and administrators at the Smith School's winter commencement ceremony on Thursday, December 22. Nearly 350 candidates were eligible to attend the graduation ceremony, which was held at the Comcast Center: eight doctoral, 25 executive MBA, 100 MBA/MS, and 210 undergraduate business degrees were awarded.

College Park, MD November 30, 2005 The University of Marylands Robert H. Smith School of Business has launched an innovative Undergraduate Fellows Program. The program will provide a broad range of opportunities to all undergraduate students to specialize and integrate knowledge gained in the classroom with real-world activities and hands-on applications in laboratories, internships and other action-based learning, as well as support the building of community among Smith students, faculty, staff, alumni and corporate partners.

College Park, Md. October 6, 2005 - The University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business today announced an extensive project to upgrade and renovate the Smith Schools state-of-the-art educational facilities. Planning for the construction of a new Annex began in July 2005 with groundbreaking slated for summer 2006 and completion in October 2007. The new Annex will add approximately 38,000 square feet of new space to Van Munching Hall, the Smith School's home.

On September 9, Business Week 2005 kicked off with freshman convocation in Van Munching Halls Frank Auditorium. During the weeklong event, incoming students were welcomed and given the opportunity to meet the deans and professors, network with JPMorganChase representatives, as well as get to know their classmates. On Saturday, students were invited to attend the Alumni Tailgate before the Terps Clemson game where they were able to network with current students and alumni.

The Smith MBA Association is collecting donations to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina this week and next week. The initiative is headed by two first year students Noah Greenberg and Leslie McDowell (pictured, right). We are all very busy right now with quizzes and material to read but there is simply no way of ignoring a disaster of this magnitude, says Greenburg. Their goal is to collect $2,007. (The significance is that they are in the "Class of 2007.")